Tennis panty

ABSTRACT

A woman&#39;&#39;s tennis panty which is provided with quickaccess pockets adjacent the leg passages in the panty, each pocket constructed to securely hold an object, such as a tennis ball, in such a manner that it will not impede the movement of the wearer, nor be ejected by body movements of the wearer of the garment.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,871,030

Green Mar. 18, 1975 [54] TENNIS PANTY 2,558,382 6/1951 Previdi 2/25() X 7 [75] Inventor: Ralph W. Green; Minneapolis 3,744,059 7/1973 Hayes 2/..5()

Minn.

. Primary ExaminerH. Hampton Hunter [73] Asslgnee' 3:3? Mlns Mmneapohs Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur S. Caine [22] Filed: Mar. 4, 1974 21 App]. N0.: 447,780 ABSTRACT A womans tennis panty which is provided with quick- [52] U.S. Cl 2/238, 2/224 A, 2/25() access pockets adjacent the leg passages in the par ty,

[51] Int. Cl A4ld 1/22 ea h pocket constructed to securely hold an object,

[ Field of Search 254, such as a tennis ball, in such a manner that it will not 2/224 224 R impede the movement of the wearer, nor be ejected by body movements of the wearer of the garment. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1,970,] 10 8/1934 Vaccaro 2/247 PATENTEDMAR 1 SW5 3; 87 1.030

SHEEIIOFZ PATENTED 81975 SHEET 2 ur 2 FIG. 5

FIG. 4

TENNIS PANTY THE INVENTION This invention pertains to a sportswear garment, and primarily to a feminine garment, or panty, worn during the playing of tennis. When engaged in playing tennis, and particularly during the service part of the game, a player normally holds the racquet in one hand, and a plurality of balls in the other hand for consecutive play. In many instances, a woman players hand may be too small to hold a plural number of tennis balls, which gives rise to the problem of providing convenient carriage for such balls.

Although women may wear a variety of garments while playing tennis, a preferred combination is composed of a short dress that does not impede vigorous movement, together with a panty that serves as an undergarment, but which may be at least partially visible during play. This combination of clothing does not permit the provision of pockets capable of holding tennis balls without creating a burden, or without impeding body movementof the player. Moreover, even if the combination is replaced by so-called tennis shorts, the customary pockets normally provided in such garments will either impede free body movement, or will not provide for the secure holding of the balls.

In the present invention, there is provided a panty which could be worn as an undergarment beneath a short dress, but which is so constructed that it could be modestly worn solely as a lower torso covering garment, provided with pockets, each constructed to receive an object, such as a tennis ball, and to hold the same in such a manner as to avoid interfering with body movements of the player, and at the same time providing a secure and convenient manner of storage or carriage of said balls.

An object of the invention is to provide a womans sport garment in the form of a panty containing quickaccess side pockets, each designed to securely carry an object, such as a tennis ball.

Another object is to provide a tennis panty having quick-access, side-opening front pockets, each for receiving an object such as a tennis ball, and designed with elastic means to securely hold said ball within the pocket.

Other objects, advantages and features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its objects and advantages, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter in which there is described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters identify like parts:

H6. 1 is a front view of a tennis panty forming the present invention, showing side-opening pockets, one of which is illustrated with a tennis ball retained therein;

FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively illustrate right hand and left hand pockets for the panty shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates the unassembled panel structure forming the panty; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the panel structure with the pockets joined thereon.

Referring to the several figures of the drawing, general reference numeral 10 indicates a tennis panty, comprising a front panel 12, a back panel 14, which are interconnected by a crotch portion 16. The panty is made of two layers of knitted fabric, preferably nylon tricot. The two layers 18 and 20, shown in FIG. 1, may be designated respectively as an underlayer and an outer layer, which together as assembled forms an opaque garment for the lower torso of the wearer.

While the garment 10 in its entirety primarily effects a body covering function, a secondary function with which this invention is concerned, involves two normally closed pouches or side pockets 22, 24, located in the front panel 12 adjacent the panty leg openings, indicated by reference numerals 26, 28. The specific form and other details of the pockets 22, 24, for holding objects such as tennis balls, and the manner in whichthe pockets are integrated with the front panel 12, and the crotch portion 16, will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 2, a right hand pocket 22 is composed of a knitted fabric, and it may be the same material as the panel portions of the garment. It is comprised of a major fabric panel 30 and a superimposed minor fabric panel 32 with edges of the two panels secured together to form a seam as by suitable straight stitching 34 and with one edge 36 of the minor panel providing an opening to the pocket so formed. The resultant edge 36, in addition to the fabric material thereof, includes an elasticized band 38 secured to said edge to resiliently restrict the opening of the pocket to retain within said pocket an article such as a tennis ball.

The garments left hand pocket 24, seen in FIG. 3, is of a similar nature and is composed of a major panel 40, a minor panel 42, and a seam 44. The minor panel 42 has an edge 46 to which is secured an elasticized band 48.

FIG. 4 shows the primary body covering elements, comprising the front panel 12, back panel 14,joined by the crotch portion 16. All three portions are symmetrical about an axis or center line 50 of the garment.

FIG. 5 shows the pockets 22, 24, stitched to the front panel 12 of the garment in such a manner that in the completed garment, an article within one of the pockets, such as a tennis ball, indicated by reference charac ter 52, does not project or protrude therefrom, but may be extracted by a sidewise motion relative to the wearers body, and thus provide quick access and release of the article from within the pocket, but without substantially hindering the players movements, as in a tennis game. The outline edges 54, 56, of crotch portion 16, are composed of elasticized material which are also joined at 58, 60, to the lower edges of the pockets 22, 24.

The major panels 30, 40, of the two pockets 22, 24, are each secured to the front panel by suitable stitching 62, 64, each consisting of a seam, combined with an overcast protective stitching to provide support for the respective pockets having greater strength than would be provided by simple patch pockets secured onto the front panel 12.

FIG. 1 shows the finished panty 10 with the side edges of the front panel 12 joined respectively adjacent to the side edges of the back panel 14 by seams 65, 66. A waistband 68, also composed of elasticized material, is secured to the upper extremities of the panels.

It will be evident from the appearance of the finished garment that the seams 65, 66, which secure together the front and rear panels 12 and 14 along with the seams 62, 64 on which are secured the pocket panels 30, 40, to the front panel 12, are hidden toward the body of the wearer of the garment. Such seams are used to provide strength, and also provide a more attractive appearing garment. Since the garment is intended as feminine apparel, and might be visible, an appropriate form of decorative lace may be secured to the edges of the leg openings and overlie the elasticized material 58, 60, to give a more pleasing appearance to the garment. The garment, as mentioned, is preferably composed of knitted material, yielding an advantage of stretch quality. Since the function of the pockets is to retain articles, such as tennis balls in a manner as to be readily accessible, but without projecting or protruding from the respective pockets, the elasticized edge of the pocket openings 38, 48, is such that when a ball is placed in the pocket, it will be held therein so that it will not fall out of the pocket, nor be ejected therefrom during normal body movement of the wearer.

Numerous objects and advantages of the invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the article of invention. The disclosure, however, is illustrative, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matter of shape and size within the principle of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general means of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

I claim:

1. A tennis panty comprising a unitary garment composed of a front panel, a back panel, and a crotch portion connecting said front and back panels, said front panel converging along the lower edge thereof toward said crotch portion, means joining two side edges of said front panel with two side edges of said back panel to form a body encircling garment having a waist opening, a pocket formed to hold a tennis ball composed of a major panel and a minor panel overlying the major panel, said minor panel having its perimeter secured to the major panel except for a portion of the perimeter forming the pocket entrance, and means for joining the perimeter of the major panel to the crotch portion and to the front panel along the lower edge thereof to depend from said front panel and complete the formation of a leg encircling opening for the garment.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the edge of the leg opening includes, at least partially, elasticized material. l l =l l 

1. A tennis panty comprising a unitary garment composed of a front panel, a back panel, and a crotch portion connecting said front and back panels, said front panel converging along the lower edge thereof toward said crotch portion, means joining two side edges of said front panel with two side edges of said back panel to form a body encircling garment having a waist opening, a pocket formed to hold a tennis ball composed of a major panel and a minor panel overlying the major panel, said minor panel having its perimeter secured to the major panel except for a portion of the perimeter forming the pocket entrance, and means for joining the perimeter of the major panel to the crotch portion and to the front panel along the lower edge thereof to depend from said front panel and complete the formation of a leg encircling opening for the garment.
 2. The article of claim 1, wherein the edge of the leg opening includes, at least partially, elasticized material. 